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Shloka 35

द्रोणस्य सुपर्णव्यूहः — युधिष्ठिरप्रत्यव्यूहः

Droṇa’s Suparṇa Formation and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Counter-array

तद्‌ बभौ रौद्रबी भत्सं बीभत्सोर्यानमाहवे । आक्रीडमिव रुद्रस्य घ्नत: कालात्यये पशून्‌,रणक्षेत्रमें अर्जुनका वह भयंकर एवं बीभत्स रथ प्रलयकालमें पशुओं (जगतके जीवों) का संहार करनेवाले रुद्रदेवके क्रीड़ास्थल-सा प्रतीत हो रहा था

sañjaya uvāca | tad babhau raudrabībhatsaṃ bībhatsor yānam āhave | ākrīḍam iva rudrasya ghnataḥ kālātyaye paśūn |

Sañjaya sprach: In jener Schlacht erschien Arjunas Streitwagen—schrecklich und grauenerregend in seiner Wut—wie Rudras eigener Spielplatz, wie am Ende der Zeiten, wenn er die Lebewesen niederschlägt. Das Bild verkündet nicht nur Tapferkeit, sondern den entsetzlichen, welterschütternden Preis des Krieges, in dem selbst gerechter Kampf ein apokalyptisches Gepräge annimmt.

तत्that (it)
तत्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
बभौshone/appeared
बभौ:
TypeVerb
Rootभा (धातु)
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
रौद्रबीभत्सम्fierce and horrific
रौद्रबीभत्सम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootरौद्र + बीभत्स
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
बीभत्सhorrific/ghastly
बीभत्स:
TypeAdjective
Rootबीभत्स
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उर्यानम्mighty/impetuous (reading uncertain)
उर्यानम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootउर्य (पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूप)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आहवेin battle
आहवे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआहव
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
आक्रीडम्playground/sporting-ground
आक्रीडम्:
TypeNoun
Rootआक्रीड
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
इवlike/as if
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
रुद्रस्यof Rudra
रुद्रस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootरुद्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
घ्नतःof (him) slaying
घ्नतः:
TypeVerb
Rootहन् (धातु) → घ्नत्
FormPresent active participle (Śatṛ), Masculine, Genitive, Singular
कालात्ययेat the end of time (at dissolution)
कालात्यये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकाल + अत्यय
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
पशून्creatures/beasts
पशून्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपशु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
A
Arjuna (Bībhatsu)
R
Rudra (Śiva)
A
Arjuna’s chariot
B
battlefield (implicit)

Educational Q&A

The verse underscores the terrifying magnitude of war: even when a warrior fights for a cause deemed righteous, the battlefield can resemble cosmic destruction. It invites reflection on the moral gravity and human cost inherent in violence.

Sañjaya describes Arjuna’s chariot in the thick of combat as so fearsome that it seems like Rudra’s own arena at the end of time, when beings are slain in the cosmic dissolution—an image intensifying Arjuna’s overwhelming presence in battle.